Wake-up Calls Abound at Conference

HEDC Communications Director Mitchell Kirk reflects on Indiana Economic Development Association’s 2025 annual gathering

As Phil Powell prepared to take the podium at the Sheraton Indianapolis Hotel at Keystone Crossing last week, I couldn’t help but notice how much his suit, side part, and spectacles aligned with the characteristics I often associate with economists.

“And they say how far behind we are, and how this country’s going to leave us in the dust–yada, yada, yada!” the Executive Director of the Indiana Business Research Center and Clinical Professor of Business Economics at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business said in one of his many attention-grabbing remarks. “Guess what, I’m not saying that! Wake up! The narrative is changing.”

Wake up I did–not only from my lame book-cover judging, but also to all the reasons for feeling optimistic about Indiana’s and Hancock County’s economic futures.

It was one of multiple awakenings at the Indiana Economic Development Association 2025 Annual Conference, which featured a theme of Forging Prosperity in the New Economic Landscape. I was honored to join HEDC Community Development Manager Erica Adams and multiple HEDC members to help make up the more than 230 who registered for the conference–a new record and an excellent sign for economic development across the state. Along with the state of Indiana’s economy, the two-day event’s sessions also explored talent development, site selection, communications, significant changes to how local governments are funded in Indiana, and a conversation with the new leader of the state’s economic development organization.

Powell’s presentation delivered a sense of calm and vision against several subjects he said are creating a sense of chaos in the U.S., including climate change, depopulation, artificial intelligence, income inequality, and deglobalization.

His description of wage growth as a north star stuck out to me as well, especially after a recent Lightcast report provided by our friends at the Indiana Department of Workforce Development noted Hancock County’s median household income was $91,300 in 2023–nearly $13,000 above the national median household income for that year.

Powell also touted the Swiss apprenticeship model as a way to lift wages and productivity through 16-to-18-year-olds. If you want to hear from a Hancock County leader well versed in the Swiss apprenticeship model, check out my interview with Dr. George Philhower, Superintendent of Eastern Hancock Schools, in the Hancock on the Horizon episode titled “Prepping the Future Workforce Part I: Eastern Hancock Schools.”

Speaking of preparing young people for their community’s future workforce, the IEDA conference offered an enlightening session on how school, business, and community partnerships can forge strong talent development locally. Adam McDaniel, Assistant Superintendent of New Castle Community Schools, collaborated with a couple of his students who participated in the presentation. Michi McClaine, Vice President of Talent Development for Regional Opportunities Initiatives, a Bloomington-based organization, spoke about the importance of identifying key industries and strategizing on how to serve them with talent development. It reminded me of my interview with Stan Wilkison, Director of the future Hancock County Career Center at the Amplify Hancock Innovation Center, who told me about how programs were chosen for that initiative based not only on student interest, but for their ability to prepare people for high-demand, high-wage careers. For that conversation–check out the episode “Put THAT in Your Pipeline and Staff It” on Hancock on the Horizon.

These days in Indiana, you just can’t learn enough about Senate Enrolled Act 1 and how it’s reforming the way local governments are funded across the state by providing property tax relief for certain categories of property owners and impacting public and private sector economic strategies. Matt Eckerle of Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors moderated the panel lineup of AIM CEO Matt Greller, Indiana Chamber CEO Vanessa Green Sinders, and John Sauter, Director of U.S. Public Finance for S&P Global - Ratings. One of my biggest takeaways from that discussion was the prediction that the new law will likely require different groups to work closer together to maximize resources.

And speaking of S&P–in case you missed it–check out how the agency cited economic development initiatives in its recent decision to assign ‘AA+’ credit ratings to Hancock County.

So much of what the HEDC does is influenced by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, and we enjoy working with our partners at the state level. So it was excellent to catch a conversation with Josh Richardson, the new head of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, led by IEDA legislative counsel Mark Shublak of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP. Richardson emphasized how workforce is linked so much more closely to economic development now, which I say bodes well for Hancock County being one of the few counties in the state projected to grow its population and workforce over the next 25 years.

A session all about messaging was a treasure trove for this communications director, especially when led by Laurel Judkins of Judkins Strategies as well as Aaron Smith and Brad Rateike of BAR Communications. I’ve had the pleasure of working with BAR Communications representatives in the past and they did not disappoint, and it was fantastic to hear from Judkins about her perspectives as well.

Much along these same lines, I always want to hear the latest on site selectors’ minds so I can ensure our website has the kind of information they need to make quick and comprehensive decisions for their clients. KSM Location Advisors CEO Katie Culp and Matt Hogan of DuCharme, McMillen & Associates, Inc. were excellent teachers on this topic.

An annual conference at the end of a year is the perfect time to reflect on the past 12 months and look ahead to the next. I joined my fellow IEDA members in thanking Hoosier Energy’s Jeremy Sowders for his time as IEDA’s Chair and welcoming One Southern Indiana’s John Launius as he prepares to take the reins.

HEDC representatives are grateful for the opportunity to learn all we can about economic development and take those best practices back with us to Hancock County. We look forward to working hard to apply them in the new year. As Phil Powell made abundantly clear at the start of this conference and start of this article–this is no time to go to sleep.

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